All the More Reason
by VampireNaomi
Summary: This is a series of scenes that takes place near the end of the anime and shows how Gray and Hunter deal with Silver.
1. Finally the Treasure

This was originally supposed to be just a short one-shot about Gray and Hunter discussing Silver, but then the rest of the story just wrote itself somehow. There will be four chapters in total, each taking place during a different episode. The first chapter is based on episode 21. Note that the story jumps around and skips scenes that have nothing to do with the topic. To fully understand what is going on, you should be familiar with what happens in the episodes.

The chapter titles are translations of the German episode titles.

**ALL THE MORE REASON**

**Chapter 1**

Silver's strike had knocked the air out of his lungs, and the impact of such a blow to his stomach sent him stumbling away from his enemy. He clutched his abdomen and fell to the ground, trying to find the willpower to recover before Silver would hit him again, this time ending his life.

Still holding his knife, Gray turned on his back so that he could at least look Silver in the eyes. The man was leaning against a tree with his crutch still held like a weapon, but his pose was relaxed and he wasn't in a hurry to move. If Gray's lungs had worked properly at that moment, he might have breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, wasn't that fun?" Silver asked. He put his crutch down and took the first step away from the tree.

Gray struggled to get up on his feet to face the pirate, but he made it only half way before Silver spoke again.

"Don't bother, Gray. I already proved that you're no match for me, and I'm not interested in doing it again. This time I'd just yell for my men," he said.

"Do you expect me to die without a fight?" Gray asked. The mere suggestion made rage boil inside him and want to see Silver fall before him. Somehow Silver always knew what words or actions to choose to hurt his enemy the most.

Silver chuckled. "I didn't know you were that dramatic. No, I expect you to return to the others and tell them that Jim is fine. I won't let anyone hurt him," he said.

"Yes, Dr. Livesey told me about that. Jim is your pawn, isn't he?" Gray asked. He had many reasons to loathe Silver, some of which he had never admitted to the others, but his recent actions had made him hate the man more than he had thought possible. Keeping a young boy hostage was hardly the gravest of Silver's crimes, but this was Jim they were talking about. Gray had witnessed the boy weep in frustration at his inability to shoot Silver. Every time the pirate's name was mentioned, a pained look flashed on Jim's face. No matter how much Jim tried to hate Silver, the man still meant the world to him.

"Exactly, and I take good care of my pawns. Don't worry," Silver said. He turned to leave and return to the pirates' camp.

"Hey, wait!" Gray yelled against him. He couldn't just let Silver leave like this. He had to finish this if he wanted to bring Jim back to safety.

Silver stopped, but he didn't turn around to face him. "The longer I stay here talking to you, the longer Jim has to be alone with my men. Think about that," he said. There was anger in his tone now, but Gray couldn't tell why. Silver held all the cards, so he had no reason to be worried or frustrated.

He watched in silence how Silver resumed his walking and soon disappeared into the dark woods.

"Damn it!" he cursed and threw his knife at his feet. Failure tasted bitter in his mouth. The others would be disappointed that he hadn't saved Jim, but that was nothing compared to how much he loathed himself at the moment. How could he have been so foolish and let Silver outsmart him? He had been so close to defeating him!

He knew he should have returned to the others as soon as possible, but he found he could not. He needed time to mull over this alone before he could face Captain Smollett. Gray was certain that the captain wouldn't fault him for what had happened, but that only made it worse in his opinion. Captain Smollett was a man he didn't want to disappoint ever again in his life. He had sworn that to himself that day when he had switched sides and when the others had chosen to close their eyes from his earlier betrayal.

Maybe he could try to save Jim again later, but the odds weren't very good. Silver was on his guard now, and time was running out. The pirates would reach the spot marked on the treasure map the next day. Gray had no idea what they would find there, but it certainly wouldn't be the treasure. There was a chance that the pirates might take their anger and disappointment out on Jim, so he hoped Silver's word about protecting him could be believed.

The idea of being forced to trust Silver made him snort in disdain as he went to pick up his knife. As much as he didn't like Silver, this time he wanted to believe that the man was better than he appeared.

He sat down against the tree that Silver had leaned on just a few moments ago and started playing with the knife in his hand. Throwing it up and catching it by the hilt was an exercise that had helped him relax for as long as he could remember.

* * *

Ben Gunn and Hunter were supposed to keep watch that night, but the others hadn't gone to rest either. Captain Smollett was keeping their small fire going while conversing with Squire Trelawney in a low voice. Dr. Livesey sat by himself against a tree, gnawing at his pipe and occasionally turning to glance at the dark forest around them.

Hunter often found himself doing the same. He didn't know how long Gray had been gone, but it was long enough to give them reason to worry. By now he should have reached the pirates' camp and rescued Jim – or died at the attempt, but Hunter didn't want to think about that yet. Joyce's death was still like a fresh wound in his chest, and the thought of losing someone else terrified him.

Gray knows what he's doing. He's been to war, he reassured himself. Gray wouldn't take unnecessary risks.

And yet he couldn't help but think back to what Gray had said just before he had darted off into the forest. When Hunter had asked him if he could make it alone, Gray had simply responded that he could and if not, they would lose only one man from their side. It was characteristic of Gray to say the truth even if it was unwelcome, but something about this time made Hunter feel unnerved. His fingers were clenched around his musket, and he couldn't sit relaxed even in the warmth of the fire.

Gray was always the first to volunteer when there was something dangerous to be done. When they had had to sneak Jim out of the fort, he hadn't even stopped to ask if anyone else wanted to be the distraction. Hunter, Joyce or Captain Smollett could have also done that. Hunter couldn't deny that Gray had been the most competent man for the task, but he didn't think he was so eager to help because he thought he was the only one who could do it. It was stupid, but he thought it was more like Gray believed he was the only one who _had_ to do it. There was always that grim acceptance in his eyes, and Hunter didn't like it.

He picked up a small stone and started throwing it up and down in his hand. He had become close friends with everyone in their group, but Gray was often impossible to understand. He spent most of his time alone and even when he was with the rest of them, he withdrew to himself and didn't speak much.

"Gray has been gone for too long. I'm getting worried," Dr. Livesey remarked, putting into words what everyone around the campfire must have been thinking. Smollett and Trelawney's conversation died down as they turned to look at the doctor. Ben Gunn was only a pair of eyes in the bushes, but Hunter knew he was worried, too. Despite being a pirate and having lived alone in the wilderness for ten years, Ben Gunn was one of the most compassionate men Hunter had ever met.

"I'll go and take a look," he volunteered and stood up.

Dr. Livesey nodded. "Be careful."

Hunter left the warmth and light of the campfire behind as he descended into the forest, following the path that he knew Gray had taken. He tried to keep his ears open for any suspicious sounds, but all he could hear were his own footsteps. After a while he could see the light of the pirates' camp in the distance, and he had to slow down so that nobody would hear him.

He didn't have the nerve to get too close to the camp, but even this far away he could sense that everything was peaceful. Hunter was certain that if Gray had been noticed and if there had been a fight, the camp wouldn't have been this quiet. He sighed in relief at this realisation and returned the way he had come to search elsewhere.

"Gray? Gray, are you here?" he called out in a low voice once he was sure the pirates wouldn't be able to hear him.

It was too dark for him to see far ahead of him, so he was a little worried about getting lost and separated from the others. When he got no answer and couldn't find anything after a while, he decided to return to the camp to see if Gray had gone back on his own. Maybe they had just missed each other.

As he was walking past a small clearing, he caught a glimpse of something shiny in the moonlight that was pouring in through the trees. Hunter tensed and grabbed a firmer hold of his musket. Maybe the pirates had a scout.

"Gray? Is that you?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm here," came the reply.

Hunter felt a relieved smile split his face. He stepped through the bushes into the clearing and could now see Gray sitting against a tree. The flash he had seen came from the knife the man was holding in his hand.

"Oh, good. We thought something had gone wrong when you didn't come back. What happened?" he asked.

Gray didn't look up at him, but he paused with the knife he was playing with. "Silver spotted me. I barely got a glimpse of Jim before I had to run," he said.

"What? Silver saw you?" Hunter took a frantic look around, half expecting the pirate to be within hearing distance. He didn't know Silver like the others, but he had seen and heard enough to know what a ruthless enemy he could be. "Where is he now?"

"I tried to fight him, but he took me by surprise. He has gone back to the others," Gray explained.

"You mean he let you live?" Hunter asked with bewildered eyes. That couldn't be. Silver and his men had killed Redruth and Joyce. They had no reason to keep anyone in their group alive with the possible exception of Dr. Livesey.

Gray nodded. "I don't understand it either," he said. He turned to look down at the knife in his hand and put it back into his boot.

Hunter scratched his head and sighed as his shoulder slumped. "Too bad about Jim. Who knows what he's going through with the pirates," he said. He knew they had to keep him alive for the time being, but that didn't mean they wouldn't hurt him just to amuse themselves.

"I was too careless. If I had approached the camp from another direction, maybe Silver wouldn't have noticed me," Gray said, his voice shaking with anger. He curled his hands into fists and glared at the ground with a frustrated frown on his face.

"Hey, it wasn't your fault," Hunter said, trying to smile.

"That doesn't change the fact that I failed," Gray pointed out.

"We'll try again later," Hunter said. They had to. They couldn't just abandon Jim to his fate, even if meant that they had to give up their plans to look for the treasure. To be honest, he didn't even care about the treasure that much. He just wanted to make it back home alive so that his mother wouldn't lose both of her sons at the same time.

Gray shot him a look that said he didn't much believe in their chances, but Hunter chose to ignore that. He needed to believe that they could save Jim.

"Don't worry," he continued, feeling that at least one of them had to remain hopeful.

"I don't think…" Gray started, but he didn't finish the sentence. "Never mind."

"What?" Hunter asked.

"It's not important. Let's return to the others," Gray suggested. He started to get up, but he fell back with a sudden groan and pressed a hand to his stomach.

"What's wrong? Are you injured?" Hunter asked. How could he have not noticed that? He knelt by Gray's side, but the man shook his head and waved him away.

"It's nothing more than a bruise. I just forgot Silver hit me," he said.

"Can you walk?" Hunter asked.

"Yes. I'm fine," Gray replied impatiently.

"I guess we should be glad Silver didn't do anything worse," Hunter said with a small chuckle. He turned over so that he was leaning his back against another tree and placed his musket between his knees. He wasn't expecting Gray to react to his words in any way, so he was startled by the quiet profanities the man muttered at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Something was definitely off about Gray tonight. "Did I say something?" he continued when Gray gave him no answer.

"It's not you. It's Silver," Gray said. His voice was thick with frustration, and he was glaring at Hunter from under his hair that covered half of his face. Hunter hadn't often seen Gray express such open hatred, and he suddenly felt glad that the man wasn't his enemy.

"What about him?" he asked, even though he knew what a stupid question it was. Silver had betrayed them, led the crew against their captain, and his men had killed two of their friends and injured Captain Smollett. They all had reason to hate him, but when he looked at Gray in the dim moonlight, he felt that with Gray it ran deeper than with the rest of them.

Gray was again silent. Hunter knew that he could have easily let the matter be and returned to the camp, but he felt reluctant to do so. He was again reminded of all the worries that had been circling in his head earlier.

"Gray?" he asked, feeling a little uncertain.

"You know what Silver has done," Gray snapped sharply.

"Yes, but I'm not taking it that personally," Hunter replied. He knew he should have, and maybe he would once all of this was over. Silver's men had killed his only brother, but he had done his best to ignore the pain and hate that arose from that. It would only distract him, and he didn't want to be a burden to the others. He was sure Joyce wouldn't have wanted him to risk the lives of the others by letting his emotions control him. He would mourn his brother properly when they were off the island.

"That man infuriates me. He refuses to go down even when he's losing, like he's so much better than everyone else," Gray said, running his fingers through his hair. "I need to prove that he's wrong."

"But why?" Hunter asked. He was surprised by the intensity of the emotion Gray was showing. Most of the time the man's face was impossible to read.

"You wouldn't ask that if he ever looked at you the way he looks at me. Every time I see him, there is that mocking laughter in his eyes. I know he's convinced that I made the wrong decision when I joined you. Every time we lose to him, it just gets worse," Gray said.

Hunter blinked. He had already forgotten that Gray had been with the pirates in the beginning, even if it had been for a very short while. The man had become so loyal and important to their group that it was hard to imagine he had ever been anything but one of them. Though he tried, Hunter couldn't picture Gray together with the murdering scoundrels who were after them.

He chuckled lightly. "What does it matter what Silver thinks? You did the right thing," he said.

"That's not the point. Silver knows it was the right thing to do, but he's convinced it was also the stupid thing to do. He's certain that his band of pirates will win and that we're going to die together with our honour. He rubs it to my face every time we meet," Gray said.

"Ah, I see what you mean," Hunter said. He wasn't bothered by what Silver thought, but he had never actually spoken with the man. Maybe he would understand better if he knew the man like Gray did. "So that's why you're so determined to defeat him."

Gray turned to gaze up at the sky that was peering at them from behind the trees. "Yes. I need to prove to him that I'm a better man than he thinks and that we're going to win because we are right," he said. He was silent for a moment before he continued, "Did Silver ask you to join his group back when we were on the ship?"

"No, I had no idea what was going on before Captain Smollett filled me in," Hunter replied. That had certainly been an eventful night. At first he had thought he was dreaming because of all the rum he had drunk.

"Hm, that's what I thought," Gray said.

"I'm sure he knew I was close to Mr. Trelawney and didn't want to take any risks," Hunter said.

"Nevertheless, he didn't think you were the kind of man who would gladly betray his mates," Gray mused.

Hunter shifted in some discomfort at these words. He wasn't sure what to say. Nobody had talked about what had happened on the ship and how or why Gray had sided with the pirates at first. As far as he was concerned, it was ancient history.

Gray glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "It doesn't matter if I did the right thing because it doesn't change the fact that in the beginning I was ready to watch you all die." He snorted, sounding amused at something, but Hunter found nothing funny about his words. "That's probably why Silver is getting under my skin. He reminds me of what I did," Gray added.

"Don't talk like that! You make it sound like you're like them," Hunter snapped. He couldn't understand how Gray could even suggest that he was anything like the thieves and murderers in Silver's group. All of his actions ever since he had joined them proved exactly how honest and brave he was.

Something clicked in his head as he suddenly realised that maybe this was the answer to all of the questions that he had been thinking about that night. Maybe Gray thought he had to make up for his wrong decision or even that if they had to lose someone in the course of their adventure, it might just as well be him.

"Forget about Silver and the others. You're one of us, and you don't need to prove anything to anyone," he said, hoping that somehow he'd be able to convince Gray of that. It bothered him more than he cared to admit that someone who appeared so calm and in control as Gray could be so troubled – and that he had kept it to himself all this time. Hunter had thought that everything was fine, but he had forgotten that, unlike him, Gray wasn't the type of man to talk about his worries.

"You don't even know why I decided to join Silver in the first place," Gray pointed out.

"Then tell me," Hunter suggested. He glared at Gray with what he hoped were challenging eyes.

"I don't think that's a very good idea," Gray said.

"Well, why not? What do you have to lose?" Hunter asked. He meant his words half as a joke to lighten the mood, but he realised his mistake when he saw the defensive look on Gray's face. His gaze was turned to the ground and his mouth was a thin line. It almost looked like he was afraid of something, but that was ridiculous. Gray had risked his life several times without showing signs of fear. Hunter was tempted to think he couldn't be afraid of anything.

"You'd despise me if you knew what happened. I can barely think back to it without loathing myself," Gray said, not turning his eyes to look at Hunter as he spoke. That worried Hunter more than the actual words.

"Try me," he suggested.

Gray took a moment to consider. When he spoke, it sounded like every word out was a task as difficult as pushing a boulder up a hill.

"It was entirely because of the treasure. Silver made it sound so appealing and easy," he admitted.

"I can understand that," Hunter said. Silver had the tongue of a snake and the promise of riches was a temptation even to the best of men. He wasn't sure what he would have done if such an opportunity presented itself without any warning and if he had to make up his mind fast.

Gray must have guessed what he was thinking because he shook his head. "No, you can't. It wasn't a decision made in the spur of the moment. I knew exactly what I was doing and what it would mean for the rest of you," he said.

Hunter sat in stunned silence, not sure what to say.

"See? What did I tell you?" Gray asked, his voice accepting and gentle.

"Don't be ridiculous. I don't care if you did it because of the treasure. None of that matters. The only thing important to me is that you switched sides and joined us," Hunter said. When Gray opened his mouth to protest, Hunter quickly continued, "And you know what makes it even more important? The mutineers had the upper hand and could have killed all of us, so you had nothing to gain by joining us, but you did it anyway. That was the only thing you had to do to prove yourself to anyone."

"It's not that simple. Just because --"

"But it is. Everyone makes mistakes, so I want you to stop feeling guilty and taking so many unnecessary risks," Hunter said before Gray had the time to argue with him.

This finally got Gray to look at him. "Risks? What do you mean?" he asked, sounding genuinely bewildered and not at all troubled anymore.

Hunter spread his arms and pointed his hands at the forest. "All this! You don't have to be the one to rush into every danger. I don't know… what you said earlier about us losing only one man if you fail made me feel like you're trying to make up for the past," he said.

"I never thought about it that way," Gray admitted. He was rubbing his head as he pondered Hunter's words. "It's just the way I act."

"Really? After what you just told me, I'm tempted to think you're trying to be a hero to prove something," Hunter said.

"I don't have a death wish if that's what you're suggesting. Some things just have to be done, and I can't think of anyone else to do them. No offence, but I would have never let you try to sneak into the pirates' camp to save Jim," Gray said.

"I guess I would have made a mess of it," Hunter admitted. He hadn't had any fighting experience before this adventure and while he had learnt a lot, he was still far from a hardened soldier.

"Maybe I shouldn't be one to talk," Gray said. He was smiling a little now, so Hunter supposed that the moody part of their conversation was over. He felt relieved in spite of their situation.

"We'll come up with a new plan. We won't abandon Jim," he said.

Gray nodded and got up on his feet, this time carefully enough to avoid sudden movements. "We should return to the camp," he said.

"Oh, that's right. The others must be getting worried about us," Hunter said. He had no idea how long they had been sitting there, but it was high time they went back to the others. He hoped that nobody had been sent to look for them. It wouldn't do to have half of their group running around the forest.

"Maybe the pirates won't keep an eye on Jim when they start digging for the treasure. We might be able to save him then," Gray said.

"That's a good idea. Let's talk about it with Captain Smollett as soon as we get back," Hunter said. He took his musket in his hands and followed Gray's example to get up.

"Oh, and Gray?" he said.

"Yes?"

"I meant everything I said, and I know the others would agree with me. You're a good man," Hunter said.

Gray put his hands in his pockets and turned away. At first Hunter thought he hadn't made any progress with his words, but then he realised that Gray was feeling uncomfortable with such open talk. He couldn't help but smile.

"If I were you, I'd worry less about the past and more about the future. You're always running straight into battle. These risky stunts will get you killed one day if you aren't paying attention," he continued.

"I say that's better than dying of old age," Gray remarked. "But thank you."

They returned to the camp without exchanging any more words with each other. The others were glad to have them both back unharmed. The matter with Jim quickly turned everyone's smiles into expressions of grim determination, but there was none of the awkwardness that Hunter had sensed when he and Gray had talked about it alone. As he had predicted, Captain Smollett blamed nobody and turned his efforts to forming a new plan for the following day.

He went back to his post and sat down to keep watch while most of the others tried to get some sleep. Gray told Captain Smollett what he could about the pirates' camp, how their sick men were doing and everything he knew about Jim.

"Silver told me he would protect Jim, but I don't know if we can trust him," Gray said.

"He isn't the kind of man to kill a boy for laughs. I think he will keep Jim safe as long as he is useful for them, but I can't say what will happen after that," Smollett mused, rubbing his chin with his healthy hand.

Hunter supposed it all boiled down to Silver. He wondered what would happen when they faced the one-legged pirate again.


	2. Silver Has Malaria

This chapter is based on episode 23. Some of the dialogue has been freely translated from the German dub of the anime.

**ALL THE MORE REASON**

**Chapter 2**

The air was fresh and crisp after the previous night's rain. Hunter shielded his eyes from the sun and couldn't help but smile at the beautiful morning. So many things had happened lately, but now he felt that all the stress and worry from the past week had been washed away with the downpour.

They had confronted the pirates at the cave the previous day. Save for Silver and Puppy, all of them had fallen to the sea and were presumed dead. Silver was injured, and Puppy was not the type to cause any trouble. For the first time since he had laid foot on the island, Hunter could breathe freely without having to keep glancing over his shoulder in fear of a bullet to his back.

He was currently examining the treasure map with Captain Smollett and Ben Gunn, but his mind was only half into it. He couldn't help but think about Gray who had volunteered to look after the prisoners at the blockhouse. The others thought Gray was just being his usual somber self, but Hunter was bothered by the open hostility he showed towards Silver.

Suddenly, their discussion of the map was brought to a halt when Jim came running from the blockhouse.

"Silver is awake!" he yelled.

Even before Hunter turned around, he could imagine the wide grin on Jim's face. His voice was so delighted and relieved that Hunter almost smiled, too, before he remembered everything that Silver had done.

They all hurried to the blockhouse just as Silver was stepping out. He looked weary and tired, but the fire in his eyes was still burning bright. Hunter couldn't help but wonder about this man who never seemed to give up, no matter how bad the odds against him were. Even now when he was injured, a prisoner and had lost all of his men, he still stood with his head held high and stared and smiled at them as if he were in charge.

This must be what Gray meant, Hunter thought as he recalled their nightly conversation. Silver's glare was so intense that it was tempting to turn his eyes away. When he did, he felt like he had just lost some significant battle.

Silver gave them his demands in exchange for helping them to solve Captain Flint's riddle. Captain Smollett and Squire Trelawney were seething with anger at the man's nerve, but Hunter didn't think Silver was being that unreasonable.

"What do you think about this?" he asked Gray some time later when they had let Puppy go, as Silver had requested, and were about to start their journey through the island to solve the riddle. The two of them were walking behind everyone else, far enough so that they could speak freely.

Gray didn't tear his eyes from Silver, and his expression never changed when he talked. "I don't trust him. He's up to something," he said.

"Really?" Hunter asked. He wasn't so sure of that. He couldn't imagine what Silver could hope to achieve now that he was all alone among enemies. Even if he found the treasure and killed all the rest of them, he would never be able to sail the Hispaniola without help.

"He's not going to admit defeat. He's playing along now, but as soon as he feels better and can gain something from it, he's going to turn on us," Gray said. He was clutching his musket with both hands and kept it ready in case the need to fire it arose.

"I don't know about that," Hunter said. "Something is off about him today." Like Gray, he had been watching Silver all morning, but something was wrong. The man stumbled with his steps and hardly spoke to anyone. Every time they stopped for a break, Silver sat down, and getting back up again always looked like a draining effort for him. It was almost like he was sick. Some of it was to be expected since he was recovering from a bullet wound, but to Hunter it looked like Silver was steadily getting worse as the day progressed.

Gray nodded. "I've noticed it, too. He's probably pretending it," he said.

"Don't you think you're being a little hard on him? He looks sick to me," Hunter said.

"If he is, he has deserved it," Gray said.

Hunter glanced at him from the corner of his eye, surprised by the cold tone. He had been hoping that Gray had forgotten about his issues with Silver after their conversation, but maybe that had been naïve of him. Such doubts and rivalry didn't disappear like that. Having Silver among them, acting and talking like he was still winning, had to grate on Gray's nerves.

"He's just acting tough. He knows he's at our mercy," he pointed out.

Gray shook his head. "No, he knows that we can't do anything to him because we need him to find the treasure. He's making fun of our greed every time he speaks or looks at us," he said. His frown deepened at the thought. "He's going to try something eventually, but I'll be ready."

"Don't say that. We saved his life because that's the right thing to do, not because of the treasure," Hunter said.

"Yes, and that's what he thinks is so funny," Gray said. "If he manages to escape, he's going to rub that to our faces before he kills us."

Hunter said nothing to that. He tried to argue with himself that what Gray said was true, but every time his eyes turned to Silver, he couldn't help but think that his friend was wrong. Silver wasn't a good man, that much was certain, but somehow Hunter felt that he had his own sense of honour. Besides, all he had to do was recall Jim's joyous face upon learning that Silver would live. Why would the boy care that much if Silver was as bad as Gray kept saying?

He didn't think Silver was lying to Jim, at least about everything. What would it have helped? Jim knew what Silver had done; he had witnessed poor Redruth be shot before his eyes. And yet Silver had protected Jim from the pirates and had let him go when things had got too dangerous. Maybe it was just Silver's dangerous charm, but Hunter found it easy to agree with Jim.

* * *

They didn't find a single clue that could have helped them solve Captain Flint's riddle. As night started falling, Captain Smollett ordered their group to rest and set up a camp. Everyone was tired and quickly gathered around the fire to keep warm.

Hunter wasn't sure if anyone else had noticed, but Silver was definitely sick. The man sat hunched, as if that alone was taking too much effort. He was staring at the fire with unfocused eyes. Seeing him like that made Hunter feel uncomfortable at the pit of his stomach, and he glanced at Gray who was sitting by his side. If the others had noticed something, nobody was saying anything. Everyone was too busy wondering about the riddle.

"So, Silver. Share your opinion with us," Dr. Livesey suggested after Ben Gunn was done explaining how he had never seen anything pointing towards the treasure during his ten years on the island.

There was nothing but silence from the pirate. Squire Trelawney, whose patience had been growing thinner all through the day, jumped to his feet.

"Say something, Silver!" he growled. "Or do you want to make fun of us again?"

"No, I don't want that. It's just that I'm not feeling too well," Silver said. His voice was quiet and strained, lacking all the strength and mirth that usually coloured his speech.

"You're sweating," Livesey said, standing up. His words got everyone's attention, and they all gathered closer to the sick pirate. Now when the doctor had pointed it out, it looked even more obvious in Hunter's eyes.

"He has malaria," Livesey said. "I can't imagine how he was able to keep up with us with that fever and the wound."

"What? Malaria?" Silver asked. Horror crept to his face as he realised what the doctor's words meant. He struggled up to his feet and grabbed Livesey's shoulder and pushed him aside.

Hunter saw Gray tense, but Silver only walked to the fire. For a moment he stared down at the flickering flames and lamented on how some of his men had died of malaria and how he now had the disease, too. Hunter felt a sudden sense of pity for the pirate when he saw him like that, shoulders hunched and barely staying on his feet.

That was why he didn't even have the time to feel surprised when Silver suddenly dashed to his side and grasped one of the extra muskets. He pointed it at their group, his eyes burning. Whether it was because of the fever or his hopeless situation, Hunter didn't know.

"Nobody move!" Silver yelled. "Gray, throw the gun away," he added when Gray jumped to his feet in alarm. For a moment Hunter thought that Gray might not obey, but he threw his musket to the ground with little hesitation. Everyone could see that in his desperate and delirious state, Silver was even more dangerous than normally.

"Silver, what are you going to do?" Livesey asked.

"I'm sorry, but I'm going. Don't follow me or I'll shoot," Silver said, taking staggering steps backwards.

"You won't make it far in your condition. You should stay here where we can treat you," the doctor tried to argue.

Silver chuckled, a crooked grin marring his face. "Forget about it. You can't help me. I've seen what happened to the others. I'm not a doctor, but even I know what happens when you have malaria," he said.

Captain Flint landed on Silver's shoulder, and only then did he continue his retreat. They all watched how Silver disappeared into the darkness until he couldn't be seen or heard anymore.

Jim was the first to move. He rushed after Silver with such speed that nobody had the time to grab him, and he didn't slow down even when Squire Trelawney tried to call him back. Gray didn't waste a moment and ran after Jim without a word.

"I'll follow them," Ben Gunn decided and joined the fleeing group.

"I'll go too," Hunter said, but Captain Smollett's voice stopped him.

"You're staying right here!" the man snapped, making Hunter turn around with stunned surprise.

"But what if-" he tried to argue, but Smollett wouldn't have any of it.

"It's enough that we have three of our men risking their lives out there because of Silver. Everyone else is staying in this camp. That's an order!" he barked.

For a moment Hunter wanted to argue, but he knew that Smollett was right. He was sure that even now, Silver wouldn't try to hurt Jim. Gray and Ben Gunn were more than capable of taking care of themselves. If he joined them, he might just get in their way and make the situation worse.

* * *

The sound of the rapidly flowing river was rumbling in his ears. Only moments ago, Jim had jumped into the dark waves and had disappeared from their sight before they could do anything to stop him. Gray knew that even if he jumped after the boy now, he'd never reach him before they arrived at the end of the river. He was still half-tempted to do it, but the determined look in Jim's eyes before the boy had dived was holding him back.

"All we can do now is take Silver back to the camp," Ben Gunn said. He was looking down at the unconscious pirate with his hands on his hips and a thoughtful expression on his face.

Gray nodded and went to help him. Silver's parrot observed them from on top of a boulder as they lifted Silver up and steadied him against their shoulders. He didn't even groan. Gray could feel Silver's fever through his clothes and wondered if help wouldn't come too late, if it came at all.

"I hope Jim finds the flower," Ben Gunn said as they started carrying Silver back to the camp. It was slow and hard work as Silver was a large and heavy man and they didn't want to drop him. He would have more than deserved a few rough bumps as far as Gray was concerned, but beating up a sick man was so low that even Silver wouldn't have done it.

"I'm more concerned about him than the flower. That river is dangerous," Gray said.

"Jim will be alright. He's a lot tougher than he looks like, and he cares for Silver. He'll do anything to come back with the flower," Ben Gunn said.

"That's what worries me. Silver isn't worth the risk," Gray said. It bothered him that Jim still looked up to Silver and considered him a friend after everything that the pirate had done. Good men had died because of Silver's greed. He was sure that Silver would gladly kill every one of them with his own hands if it led him to the treasure. Jim's love was wasted on a man like that. In the end it would only hurt him more.

"Without him we won't find the treasure," Ben Gunn pointed out.

Gray didn't reply. For a while now, he had been having mixed thoughts about the treasure. The idea of it was exciting, and he knew he wouldn't say no to a share if they ever found it. On the other hand, every time he thought about the treasure, he remembered how he had joined the mutineers in the beginning. It tainted the fun.

"You know," Ben Gunn started, speaking with some difficulty and stopping to catch his breath. "I sailed with Silver for years. When it came to him, there were just two kinds of people."

"What do you mean?" Gray asked.

"There were those who loved and respected him and those who feared and hated him. There was never a middle ground. He has that effect on people," Ben Gunn said.

"How about you?" Gray asked.

Ben Gunn chuckled. "Me? I was terrified of him. Most of the crew was. It's hard to respect Silver if he doesn't respect you, and then your only chance is to fear him and do exactly as he says."

"And Captain Flint?" Gray wanted to know. He couldn't imagine how the pirates could have ever had any success if everyone was afraid of one man who wasn't even their captain.

Ben Gunn cocked his head to the side and let out a thoughtful hum. "Old Flint, hmm? I think even he was a little afraid of Silver, but more than that he recognised Silver's talent and respected him. And Silver respected him, too. He was probably the closest thing to a friend Flint ever had," he said.

Gray glanced at Silver who still hadn't let out a sound. Sweat was pouring down his forehead, and his hair was clinging to his face in a tangled mess. At the moment the great pirate didn't look like anyone he had to either respect or fear, but Gray hadn't forgotten the man's charm and treacherousness.

"I don't think I can go on anymore," Ben Gunn said. He looked like he was about to collapse under Silver's weight.

They put Silver down so that he was leaning against a boulder. Gray wiped his forehead on his sleeve. Silver wasn't an easy man to drag up the rocky hills.

"Maybe you should go ahead and tell the others to come here," he suggested.

"Sure, I'll do that. I'll just catch my breath for a minute," Ben Gunn agreed. He put down Silver's crutch that he had been carrying.

Gray sat down on a boulder opposite to Silver. The man's parrot was sitting there but flew away and landed on Ben Gunn's shoulder.

"I don't think Captain Flint likes you," the man remarked as he stroked the bird's head. "He can sense that you don't like Silver."

"I don't care what a parrot thinks of me," Gray said.

"Maybe you should. They're clever animals," Ben Gunn said. He gave Flint a gentle poke, and the parrot flew to sit on Silver's knee.

Ben Gunn sighed as he got on his feet and brushed some dirt off his legs. "It's not a long way to the camp. I'll be back with the others soon," he said. With that, he darted off into the darkness, following the path with agile leaps.

Now alone with Silver and the parrot, Gray turned to look at the sick man. He wasn't sure what to think. He felt no pity for Silver, but it was unsettling to see someone so strong and proud reduced to this state. It shouldn't have mattered since Silver would hang for his crimes anyway, but somehow this wasn't right.

Gray leaned his chin on his palm and frowned. He could hardly believe it, but he almost found himself hoping that Jim would find the flower and return to them in time to save Silver's life. Resenting a man who was this ill didn't feel fair.

Suddenly there was a low groan from Silver, and the man shifted uneasily. His hand fumbled at the ground, looking for something.

"Don't bother. Your musket was lost in the river," Gray said.

Silver opened his eyes at his voice and stared straight at him, but Gray couldn't even begin to guess if he understood what he was seeing. His eyes were gleaming with fever.

"What... Where am I?" Silver asked.

"Jim pulled you out of the river. We're taking you back to the camp so that Dr. Livesey can take a look at you," Gray explained.

Silver let out a dry chuckle. "Don't bother. We all know I have no hope," he said. He struggled to sit straight and brought a hand to his temples when a wave of dizziness hit him. His eyes turned to his crutch, and he made a move to crawl closer to it.

"Don't," Gray said and pointed his musket at Silver.

"Let it go, Gray," he said. "I'm no danger to anyone. All I want is to go to look for the treasure. I won't welcome death lying down."

As Gray stared at Silver, he recognised an emotion he had never before seen on his face. He had seen Silver when he was yelling in anger, laughing at someone's expense or trying to lure someone into trusting him. The uncertain and needy gleam in the man's eyes was entirely new.

"You're afraid," he stated.

Silver laughed. "Afraid? Me? I thought you knew me better than that. If I were afraid of death, I would have never stepped on board a ship in my life," he said, some of his usual mirth returning to his voice.

"I know you don't fear death," Gray said with a shake of his head. "You're afraid that you're going to die before you find the treasure. Because then all of this would have been for nothing. You would lose."

Silver stared at him for a long time before he spoke. A smile slowly crept on his face. "When you spend ten years looking for something, it easily becomes the most important thing in your life," he said. He chuckled. "But to be honest, searching for the treasure might be more fun than finding it."

"You shouldn't waste your strength talking," Gray said.

"You're right. I should be trying to solve Flint's riddle," Silver replied. He made a move to stand up and lean against the boulder behind him, but Gray gestured for him to stop.

"You really aren't going to let me have this last chance to find the treasure?" Silver asked, the look in his eyes turning dark as he glared at Gray. His words were spoken with venom that Gray had never before heard in Silver's voice. "I never took you for such a vindictive man, Gray."

"It's not too late yet. Ben Gunn knows a cure for malaria. Jim has gone to look for it," Gray said.

He watched how the expression on Silver's face turned into confusion and then doubtful hope. He felt a little bad for that he hadn't told Silver about the cure right away.

"There's a cure?" Silver asked.

"Ben Gunn told us there is a flower that can cure you," Gray replied.

"And Jim went to find it," Silver concluded, closing his eyes and leaning back against the boulder. His pose became more relaxed, but he still looked troubled by his fever. His face was glistening with sweat, and his breathing was a little shallow. However, there was a relieved smile playing on his lips. It reminded Gray of all the reasons he had to resent this man.

"Quite lucky for you that you've won Jim over," he remarked.

"Jim is my friend," Silver said. His voice sounded more tired now, like learning that he still had a chance to live had drained all strength out of him. He didn't have to fight so hard anymore.

"Is he, or are you just using him to get what you need?" Gray asked. Silver kept his eyes closed, but Gray still stared at his face, waiting for an answer. This had been bothering him ever since they had set foot on the island and he had seen Jim cry in frustration at his inability to shoot Silver. It was hard to imagine that a man who had double-crossed everyone, killed with his bare hands and lied to all of them could be honest about anything, especially his friendship to a young boy.

"I let him go before I and my men went to Skeleton Island, didn't I?" Silver asked.

"Maybe that was just to make sure he'd still trust you. You're the kind of man who likes to keep his options open," Gray said.

Silver snorted. "I don't think there's anything I can say to convince you, but I want you to know that I don't want any harm to come to Jim," he said.

Gray found that hard to believe after Silver had sent his men to attack them and taken Jim captive. It was because of Silver that Jim had faced danger so many times during his stay on the island. Just because Silver wasn't pulling the trigger himself didn't mean that he was innocent.

"Jim is... my friend," Silver said again. At first Gray thought he was trying to make a point, but then he saw how much more the man was sweating and how he was shivering even with his thick captain's coat.

"Silver?" he called out. His first thought was that the man was pretending to be sicker than he truly was, perhaps hoping to trick him into thinking he was harmless. Then he realised how stupid that was and had to shake his head at his suspicions. Silver had nothing to gain by that. He had to remain with the group if he wanted the cure.

Gray got down from the boulder and walked closer to Silver. Captain Flint kept staring at him, but Gray did his best to ignore the parrot. He knelt down by Silver's side, careful to keep his musket away from the man's reach, and put his hand on his forehead.

Just then he heard footsteps. When he lifted his eyes, he saw that Ben Gunn had returned with the others.

"How is he doing?" Dr. Livesey asked, rushing to Silver's side.

"He's getting worse," Gray replied. He felt relieved to get up and retreat from Silver now that the doctor had arrived to take over.

"You're right," Livesey said, sounding grave. "Has Jim not yet returned with the flower?"

"There has been no sign of him," Gray said.

"It's going to take him a while to make it back here. It's a rocky path," Ben Gunn said.

"However long it takes, we can't stay here. We need to take Silver to shelter somewhere," Livesey said.

After a brief discussion, they decided to carry Silver to a cave that Ben Gunn knew about. It would give them enough shelter from the night, and Jim would have to go past it on his way back upstream. Gray carried Silver together with Ben Gunn and Hunter, wondering if it wouldn't be better for all of them if Silver never woke up. Then he thought of how it would break Jim's heart and found himself hoping that the boy would soon be back with the flower.

* * *

Once they had taken Silver to the cave, Dr. Livesey took charge and sent Ben Gunn to find some fresh water. Gray and Hunter got the task of looking for enough firewood to last for the rest of the night while Squire Trelawney and Captain Smollett remained at their new camp to keep watch and help the doctor.

"I hope Jim will be back by the time we return," Hunter said. He bent down to pick up a piece of wood that the waves had brought to the shore. Their cave was very close to the sea, so they had decided to look for drifting wood there before entering the forest.

"He has been gone for too long," Gray said. When he looked east, there was no light to be seen in the horizon, but he knew it was only a few hours before dawn.

"Maybe he can't find us. He might have gone back to the old camp," Hunter said "And from there he might have returned to the blockhouse."

"Could be, but Ben Gunn said Jim would have to pass by the cave on his way. We just have to give him more time. If he's not back by morning, we'll go and look for him," Gray said.

They finished building a pile of all the wood they had collected at the shore and tied it together with some rope. It wasn't quite enough to last until the morning, so they decided to continue to the forest and find more there. As they left the shore, Hunter couldn't help but think about everyone who was waiting for them at the cave.

Silver had slipped in and out of consciousness when they had brought him to their new camp. According to Dr. Livesey, his life wasn't in great danger yet because the fever had only risen that day and because Silver was stronger than the average man, but the sooner Jim brought the flower, the better. They didn't have much more time to solve Flint's riddle, so they needed Silver up on his feet before the next full moon.

"I wonder what we'll do if Silver doesn't survive," he mused.

"In that case we'll return to England empty-handed," Gray said.

"Don't you think it's wrong to want his recovery just so that he can find the treasure for us?" Hunter asked. No matter what Silver had done, thinking so little of human life made him feel uncomfortable.

"I don't think anyone wants his survival just for that, but it makes no difference. Even if he lives now, he will hang when we go back home," Gray said.

"Jim isn't going to take that well," Hunter said. In that sense, it might be better if Silver died of malaria. At least then the cause wouldn't be their doing. Taking Silver to England to face a trial was the right thing to do, but at the same time he dreaded to think what it would do to Jim.

"It can't be helped," Gray said stiffly, giving a sharp kick to a tree trunk that was half-covered by bushes.

Hunter paused his work for a moment to glance at Gray. He sounded angry, but Hunter couldn't imagine what was bothering him now. Silver was in their hands and everything was going according to their plan. He decided against saying anything.

"I don't like how much Jim cares for Silver. That man has already betrayed his trust more than once. It doesn't matter what happens. Jim's heart is going to be broken again," Gray said. He sat down on the trunk he had just loosened and turned to look at Hunter with a solemn expression.

"Silver told me he sees Jim as a friend," Gray continued, clenching his fists. "It makes me mad to think he's leading him on and abusing his trust like that."

"Maybe Silver really does care for him," Hunter suggested. It wouldn't have surprised him much. Despite all the things he had done, Silver had always seemed to have a soft spot for Jim. Hunter had often seen them on the ship, and he didn't think even Silver could fake friendship that well.

Gray shook his head. "I doubt that, but even if he does, it won't change anything. Jim will be devastated when Silver is executed," he said.

Hunter could only sigh in agreement. He felt bad for Jim, especially since the boy hadn't yet realised what would happen to Silver once he was brought to England. He dreaded the moment when he would learn the truth and almost wished he wouldn't have to be there. He was sure Gray felt the same, which gave him a new reason to resent Silver.

"That almost makes me wish he would escape," Hunter said with sad smile.

The sharp look in Gray's eyes immediately made him regret his words, and he hunched his shoulders as he turned to look elsewhere. Maybe it wasn't right to wish that, but hanging Silver wouldn't make him feel better about anything that had happened.

"Do you want him to die?" he asked, almost afraid of the answer. The thought that Gray's dislike for Silver could run so deep that he'd enjoy his death made him feel a little sick.

"His death wouldn't mean anything to me," Gray replied. "I don't want revenge against him."

"I'm glad to hear that," Hunter said with a smile, feeling relief wash over him.

"But I still think he should remain our prisoner and be taken to England. I just wish he wasn't so close to Jim," Gray added.

"Me too, but we can't do anything about that," Hunter said.

"Except keep our eyes open. Silver might use his friendship with Jim to trick us," Gray said.

Hunter couldn't imagine how Silver could do that, but he knew Gray was right. If there was one thing he had learnt about the one-legged pirate, it was that he was the craftiest man he had ever known and could turn any situation to his advantage. Having him in their group and relying on his help to find the treasure was risky, but they didn't have a choice.


	3. The Grave of the Sharks

This chapter is based on episode 24. Some of the dialogue has again been translated from the German dub of the series.

**ALL THE MORE REASON**

**Chapter 3**

Silver was feeling better the next day, thanks to Puppy who had risked his life to find the flower to cure his malaria. Hunter was glad to see the lad join their group. He didn't think Puppy was that bad deep down, and he felt a lot better when he wasn't running around the island all alone. He might have got hurt or caused trouble for them when they were looking for the treasure.

Hunter had been expecting Gray to be suspicious of him, but he seemed to accept him. Maybe Gray could sense Puppy's honesty as well, or maybe he simply trusted Captain Smollett's judgement. The captain had decided that there was no need for Puppy to face a trial when they got back to England. Hunter had felt a sense of relief at that for he was certain that Puppy wouldn't have joined the pirates if Silver hadn't been so persuasive.

Maybe that was why Gray bore no ill will towards him. Puppy had been tempted by Silver just like him. He just hadn't had the opportunity or courage to fight back, but that didn't make him a bad person.

On the other hand, even if Gray had understanding for Puppy, his attitude towards Silver hadn't changed. Their group, consisting of Silver, Jim, Hunter, Gray and Puppy, was currently scanning the cliffs near the sea. Hunter had no idea what Flint's riddle could mean, so he was happy to leave figuring that out for people cleverer than him. He stayed behind and kept an eye on the others in case there was any trouble.

And there would be; he was sure of it. Ever since his recovery, Silver had kept close to Jim. He joked with the boy and flattered him every chance he got. The delighted smile on Jim's face grew wider by the moment, which was mirrored by the deepening of Gray's frown. The happier Jim and Silver looked, the more closely Gray kept an eye on them.

Hunter wasn't the only one who had noticed that. Every now and then, Silver would glance over his shoulder and look at Gray with a stern expression. Hunter did his best to understand what the pirate was thinking, but he couldn't even begin to guess. Maybe he was trying to rub it into Gray's face that Jim preferred his company, or maybe he hated him as much as Gray hated him. In either case, soon enough one of them would grow tired of the constant glaring and make a move.

Then there was Puppy who wasn't being helpful at all and just grumbled to himself about how unfair it was that he couldn't have a share of the treasure. Hunter was glad that Captain Smollett and Squire Trelawney weren't there to hear it. They would have had no patience for such talk after they had pardoned the lad for his crimes.

"Hey, Puppy! Don't be like that! Help us find the treasure!" Jim said.

Puppy showed his tongue at Jim and turned away, sticking his nose high in the air. "Why?" he asked. "Even if I find the treasure, I won't get a share."

Hunter and Gray turned to look at him, which immediately prompted Puppy to regret his words. He ran up to them, flailing his hands in panic.

"Oh, no, Hunter and Gray! Please don't say that to the others, especially to Mr. Trelawney. Please, please, don't say anything!" he pleaded, no doubt thinking that if he didn't behave, they would take him to be hanged after all.

"Calm down, Puppy. They're all nice people. I'm sure they'll give us a share of the treasure," Silver said with laughter in his voice. His tone and the grin on his face grew darker as he continued, "Besides, if they don't share it with us, there are still ways to get our part."

Hunter gasped at Silver's bold words and immediately glanced at Gray who was glaring at the pirate with hatred in his eyes. His pose was tense, and he was clenching the musket in his hands so hard that it looked like he was having trouble standing still.

Even Puppy seemed to notice the sudden tension between the two men and backed away from them in a hurry, not wanting to get caught in their fight. Hunter steadied his hold on his musket just in case. The smile on Silver's face was taunting, and now Hunter finally understood what Gray had meant when he had said Silver was always mocking him.

"I want to say something to you, Silver. I don't care what you say or think; you'll remain our prisoner. You'll help us solve Flint's riddle, and that's it. If you try anything else, I won't hesitate to shoot," Gray said. His voice grew harsher with each word, and he didn't seem to care that everyone had their eyes fixed on him.

"I understand, Gray," Silver said. "It's not just the bullet but also your knife that's after my heart."

Silver caught empty air with his hand and clenched his fist, his smile becoming even more crooked. "But before your knife gets me, I'll capture it with my right hand. I bet your knife flies much slower than my poor parrot Flint," he said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gray asked. "Are you trying to throw me off?"

That was enough in Hunter's opinion. It was clear that if someone didn't step in, Gray and Silver would be at each other's throats any minute now. He ran between the two men, facing Silver.

"Not so fast! What are you doing? Don't be idiots," he said and turned to look at Gray over his shoulder. "Gray, we should try to find Flint's house, not start fights." He wished he could get through to his friend, but part of him doubted that. Gray and Silver were an explosion waiting to happen, and now there was no Captain Smollett to keep order.

He turned back to Silver. "You said we only have two more days. Don't waste this time," he said. To emphasise his words, he pointed his musket at Silver's chest and ordered him to keep going. The others were working hard to solve the riddle, and all their group was able to do was bicker and complain.

"I'm working hard, too," Silver said. All of a sudden, he caught Hunter's musket and twisted it. Hunter was so surprised by the action and how much strength Silver had in one arm that he fell over without a fight or even a yelp, his weapon falling from his hands. He grimaced at how the skin on his palms was scratched open as he fell and turned around just in time to see Silver advance towards Gray.

Hunter opened his mouth to yell at the two to stop when he saw Gray pull out a knife, but he was too late. Silver brought his crutch up to protect his face, and the knife was stuck on it right before it would have hit him. Not wasting another moment, Silver threw the crutch at Gray, but the man blocked it with his musket. He was too close to shoot, so he tried to strike Silver with the weapon. The pirate leapt aside with surprising agility for someone who only had one leg.

Silver landed behind Gray, and Hunter held his breath as he waited for the two of them to attack each other again. To his surprise, however, both men remained still and didn't even properly look at each other.

"I don't like it when someone is keeping an eye on me. I must be able to use my head if I want to solve the riddle. This is a battle between Flint's intellect and mine. I don't want to be disturbed by pitiful guard dogs," Silver said, his voice rising in anger as he spoke.

Without another word, he took his crutch and started walking away, leaving the rest of them to stare at his back. Captain Flint landed on his shoulder, and for once the parrot remained silent.

Jim and Puppy quickly hurried after Silver, both looking nervous because of the skirmish. Hunter got up from the ground and picked up his musket. When he turned to look at Gray, he was glad to see a small amount of shame on his face.

"What were you thinking?" he asked, not quite able to hide his anger.

"You saw how Silver was taunting me," Gray replied.

"I did, and you fell right into his trap. Why is it so hard for you to just let it go and ignore him?" Hunter asked.

"I've already told you why," Gray said.

Hunter sighed. "And I thought you had got over it," he said. He felt disappointed, but he guessed it had been stupid of him to expect Gray to let go of his issues like that. He just wished he would at least learn to tolerate Silver for as long as they had to work together with him.

"It's not because of how I feel about him," Gray said. He turned to look below them where Silver, Jim and Puppy were following a path that would take them closer to the shore. Hunter followed his gaze and instantly knew what was bothering Gray.

"You're worried about Jim," he said.

"If Silver cared about him at all, he wouldn't be so friendly with him. He knows what will happen to him and how much it's going to hurt Jim. It would be easier for Jim if they were no longer friends," Gray said.

"Maybe," Hunter admitted in thought, watching how Silver ruffled Jim's hair after something the boy had just said. "But I think it would make it a lot harder for Silver."

Gray turned to glare at him. "You can't really think his friendship is genuine," he said.

"Why not?" Hunter asked.

"Because he's dishonest and only interested in the treasure," Gray said.

"But he can't have the treasure now. He has no reason to be Jim's friend anymore, unless he truly cares for him," Hunter said. He felt the same worries Gray did, and he didn't want to think about Jim's sorrow upon learning of Silver's trial. However, all of that felt somehow distant. The island was a world of its own, and England was so far away. At the moment it was easy to forget that he was looking at a hardened pirate rather than just a man who was having fun with a friend.

"Or do you think Silver is doing that on purpose to hurt him or annoy us?" he asked.

Gray was silent for a moment. "I don't think Silver wants to hurt Jim. Either he doesn't realise what he's doing or he's sure he will escape somehow," he said.

"I wouldn't put that past him," Hunter said. In fact, he'd be surprised if Silver didn't try to escape at some point once he had properly recovered from the effects of malaria and his wound.

"Me neither, and that's why I have to keep an eye on him," Gray said. With that, he started following the path the others had already taken. Hunter took one more look at Silver and Jim and then went after Gray.

There were no more arguments between Gray and Silver that day, and Hunter even thought that the tension had eased a little. Maybe the little skirmish had done good to both men. Gray held a little back now and no longer kept his eyes glued to Silver. The pirate ignored him in return.

After a while, they reached the rocky cliffs at the shore. Massive waves were crashing against the rocks and sending water even up to where they were standing. The wind blowing from the sea was surprisingly cool for that time of the day. As they stood there, watching the waves lick the cliffs, Silver started telling them about Flint and how it was possible that the spot they were looking for was at sea, not on land.

As soon as Silver had said it, everyone seemed to be filled with new energy. They all jumped down the cliffs and tried to beat each other at reaching the shore first. Despite having only one leg, Silver was easily the fastest of them and moved nimbly with his crutch. He gave them the order to search the shore and the little rocky islands. Not even Gray objected to him taking command.

They made their way through the slippery rocks, careful not to fall into the water. Hunter chose to climb on top of a tall cliff and look at the sea through a spyglass. He didn't know much about the legendary Captain Flint, but the certainty with which Silver had spoken his words made him believe that he was right. They would surely find what they were looking for at sea.

After a while, he had to admit that there was nothing to be seen. He brought down the spyglass and turned away from the sea, but then he heard Jim's alarmed yell. At first he couldn't see what was wrong. Then he saw Jim and Benbow among the surging waves, struggling to climb back on shore.

"Jim!" he called out and started running towards the boy. From the corner of his eye, he saw that everyone else was doing the same. Every time Jim made it to the cliffs, the waves pulled him back into the water. It wouldn't take long before his strength ran out, and then he would drift too far away. Hunter ignored how his feet were slipping on the rocks and tried to hurry to Jim's side as quickly as he could.

"A shark!"

Just when Hunter thought it couldn't get any worse, he heard Silver's exclamation. He felt a chill go through him when he spotted the dorsal fin among the waves. Despite his hurry, he had to stop and stare in horror at the beast as it was closing in on Jim and Benbow.

"Silver!" Jim yelled as soon as he got his head above the surface. His voice prompted Silver to move, and he hopped across the rocks to get as close to Jim as possible, not caring how dangerous the path was.

Once he reached the closest cliff to Jim, he stopped there and took a frantic look around him. It was like he hadn't even thought about what he would do once he made it there and now had no idea how to save Jim.

The answer came from Gray. He called out Silver's name to get his attention and tossed his musket to the man. Silver caught it with his free hand and aimed it at the shark. He waited until it came closer to the surface and then fired, hitting the beast straight to its head. It died immediately, but Jim still couldn't get out of the water on his own.

"Come on, Hunter," Gray urged him. Before Hunter could ask what he had in mind, Gray had already jumped into the sea. Hunter followed his example without hesitation, and together they managed to drag Jim and Benbow back to the shore.

Jim was coughing up water and panting to catch his breath, but he insisted on not taking a moment to rest. Hunter and Gray tried to support him, but Jim assured them he didn't need any help.

"I just swallowed some water," he said.

The sun was setting, so they decided to end their search for the day and return to the blockhouse before the others got worried. It was another day wasted, but Hunter didn't have the energy to feel disappointed that they weren't any closer to finding the treasure. Seeing Jim in such danger had given him a scare, and all he could think about was how lucky they had been. If Gray hadn't had a musket prepared and if Silver hadn't been such a good shot, Jim would have probably died.

It was almost funny in a way. Gray's suspicions of Silver and Silver's craftiness and strength were the qualities that made the men resent each other, and yet it was these traits that had saved Jim's life. If Hunter hadn't been so exhausted after the day's events, he might have cracked a smile at that.

* * *

Hunter didn't know which would happen first. Either his arms would drop off or he'd pass out from the pain in them. His chest was burning with the lack of breath, but he didn't stop his mad paddling even for a moment. He didn't look at the others, and he could barely hear what they were talking. All that mattered to him was that they had to make it to the shore as quickly as possible.

Even worse than the physical pain were the worry and fear that were tormenting him. It was more than likely that Gray was already dead. He had disappeared under the surface with the shark and hadn't come back no matter how long they had waited. There hadn't been blood, but it was possible the shark had attacked him further away from their raft. No matter what he wanted to believe, Hunter knew that even Gray would never survive that.

The cliffs in that area had been too rocky for them to go ashore, so Captain Smollett had ordered them to go back to the sandy beach where they had started. Hunter would have liked to wait longer in case Gray came back, but the others thought it was better to go ashore and start searching for him.

He jumped off the raft as soon as the water was shallow enough for him to walk. He waded to the shore and was about to run off when Captain Smollett's voice stopped him.

"Hunter! Where do you think you're going?" he asked.

"Looking for Gray," Hunter said, stopping and turning to glare at the others.

"Not so fast. You aren't going to achieve anything by running off on your own. Help the others to get the raft on shore," Captain Smollett said.

This is a waste of time, Hunter thought in frustration, but he followed the captain's order without hesitation. Soon enough, they had the raft and their supplies secured on the beach.

"We're going to form two groups. I, Jim and Ben Gunn will go this way. Dr. Livesey, Squire Trelawney and Puppy will search over there," Captain Smollett said.

"What about me?" Hunter asked.

"You're staying here with Silver. The cliffs are too dangerous for someone with a crutch," Smollett replied.

Silver flashed a crooked grin at the captain. "Why, Captain Smollett, I had no idea you value my well-being so much," he said.

"Don't be ridiculous. You're enough trouble for us already. We don't need you to break your bones and become even more of a burden. And I'm not leaving you unguarded for a single moment. That's why Hunter is staying," Smollett explained.

"But why me?" Hunter asked. He didn't want to stay back with Silver. Worry for Gray was nibbling away his insides, and the thought of not doing anything to help filled him with apprehension.

"Because you're clearly too upset to start climbing on cliffs now. We don't need to lose you, too," Smollett replied.

There were many things Hunter would have liked to say to that. He wasn't upset; he was just worried. Unlike the others, he just didn't want to waste precious time talking. And most importantly, they hadn't lost Gray. Not yet. However, he said none of this, not having it in him to disobey Smollett's orders even at a moment like this.

With a heavy heart, he sat down on the raft, clutching his musket in his hands. He watched how the others gathered some supplies and prepared to leave.

"Don't worry, Hunter. We'll find Gray," Jim said with an encouraging grin before running off to follow Captain Smollett and Ben Gunn. Hunter forced a smile on his face, but he dropped it as soon as Jim was gone.

How could this have happened? Everything had been fine one moment, and then Jim had suddenly emerged from the water, warning them about a shark. Then they had seen Gray attack it in the most foolish way imaginable instead of climbing to safety on the raft. Perhaps he had thought it was the only way to stop it from attacking Jim or the rest of them, but that hardly mattered. Gray had yet again risked his life in order to protect them.

I hate it how he keeps doing that, Hunter thought in frustration and picked up a small stone from the sand. He started throwing it up and down in his hand. Did Gray think they would be grateful if he died in their place? Was he really so stupid he thought it would make his friends glad?

"Dammit!" he cursed and threw the stone away. When Gray got back, he would tell him exactly how reckless his behaviour was and how much he hated it.

A chuckle from his side made him lift his eyes from the sand. He had already forgotten that Silver was there, too. Some guard he was.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind," Silver said, smiling down at him. He was standing beside the raft with Captain Flint on his shoulders. When Hunter said nothing, Silver turned his eyes towards the sea, and the smile disappeared from his face.

"Are you worried about Gray?" he asked.

"Of course I am!" Hunter snapped.

"I don't think there's a need for that. He knows how to take care of himself," Silver said.

"Even he can't survive that. Nobody can," Hunter said.

"I wouldn't be so sure. I fought a shark or two in my days before this happened," Silver said and patted the knee of his amputated leg.

Hunter didn't even think to doubt Silver. The idea that this crooked pirate had survived something that might have killed Gray felt like a punch to his abdomen and left Hunter clenching his fists in anger. He glared at Silver, feeling his hands shake.

"What if he's dead?" he asked. "What would you do then?"

Silver shrugged nonchalantly. "What would you have me do? If he's dead, then he died like a man," he said.

Hunter was up on his feet before he even realised it. "That's what you have to say? That he died like a man?" he asked, almost yelling.

"What else is there for me to say?" Silver asked. He tore his gaze away from the sea and looked at Hunter with a solemn look in his eyes. "I don't like Gray. He's always watching me, ready to shoot the moment I make a mistake. I can deal with many kinds of men, but not those who've decided they can judge me like that and think they're better than me."

Silver snorted, amusement returning to his voice. "Gray has quite a lot of gall to treat me like that. He's the one who joined my group and agreed to betray the rest of you. He's not as high and mighty as he thinks," he said.

"Shut up!" Hunter snapped. He drew back his arm and aimed a punch at Silver's jaw, but the pirate caught his fist with ease and shoved him aside. Hunter landed painfully to his side. He held back a growl and turned around so that he could face Silver.

"Gray is a far better man than you could ever be. He made the right decision and came to our side when he had every reason not to do it. He's better than you or all of your rotten men together," he said. He got up from the ground, brushing sand off his trousers.

He continued, "It doesn't matter what Gray did at first. He has proven his loyalty many times already." He felt a little foolish for his sudden attack on Silver. He should have known he could never hit the man, and he was embarrassed by how easily Silver had provoked him. It was only yesterday that he had scolded Gray for the same thing.

"So many times, in fact, that I wish he'd just stop," he added.

"You think he's trying to prove something?" Silver asked.

"Of course he is. Why else would he take so many risks for us?" he asked.

For a moment Silver just stared at him with a baffled expression on his face. Then he threw his head back and started to laugh. The sound made Hunter see red; what right did Silver have to laugh at such a serious matter?

"What's there to laugh about?" he demanded to know.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Silver said. "I just find it hilarious that Gray has decided to make an enemy out of me, and yet I understand him better than any one of you who claim to be his friends."

"What do you mean?" Hunter asked.

"You shouldn't be asking that of me. Ask Gray if he comes back," Silver said. He kept a small pause. "I hope he doesn't hurry. It's nice to have a break from him keeping a constant eye on me."

"Gray is just worried for Jim. You're hurting him with your friendship," Hunter said.

"Jim looks quite happy to me," Silver remarked.

"You know what I mean. He'll be crushed when you're taken to England and he learns what is going to happen to you," Hunter said.

He wasn't surprised when Silver didn't look at all bothered by his words. "What makes you think I won't take my leave before we reach England?" he asked.

"There is no way you can escape. Gray won't let you," Hunter said.

Silver just smiled at that. Hunter swallowed in discomfort, wishing that Silver would at least try to argue that Gray was dead. The fact that he didn't even bother to address the issue made Hunter feel like it was the unspoken truth and that Silver chose not to bring it up out of pity for him.

"I don't mean to hurt Jim. He has always been my friend," Silver said.

"Then why did you let your men attack the fort? Why did you poison our water? Why did you fire the cannon at the blockhouse? Why did you take Jim a prisoner?" Hunter challenged him. Everything Silver had done ever since setting foot on the island could have got Jim killed. Even if he did consider Jim his friend, he obviously cared more about the treasure.

"Those things had to be done. I wanted the treasure, and I wasn't going to let anything come in my way," Silver said. He turned to look at the sea again, his voice somber as he continued, "It would have been a shame if something had happened to Jim, but I trusted that he's a capable lad."

"That was still quite a risk to take," Hunter pointed out.

"Well, we all knew the risks when we came here," Silver said.

"No, we didn't!" Hunter snapped, his anger suddenly returning. "Nobody said there would pirates, mutiny or fighting! This was supposed to be a peaceful voyage." He glared at Silver's face, but there was no understanding in his eyes. The man was a pirate; he probably didn't even realise what point Hunter was trying to make.

"There's always trouble when men go to sea. You shouldn't be so surprised," Silver said.

"Don't talk like that, like it's not important! Joyce was -" Hunter stopped to catch a shaky breath as his voice broke. "My brother was shot in the back by one of your men. Don't you dare tell me I have to take something like that in stride!"

He hadn't thought much about Joyce after they had buried him. Every time he allowed himself to recall the memory of his brother, it felt like his chest was being torn open. Joyce had been the most important person in his life, the big brother who had always taken care of him. He had long since decided that he wouldn't hate Silver for what had happened, but it was very tempting to just give in now. The ideals and greed Silver represented were the main reason Joyce had died. How Silver refused to acknowledge how much pain his actions had caused left him feeling like someone had just punched him.

Silver stared at him in surprise. "Joyce was your brother? I didn't know that," he said.

"It wouldn't have made a difference for you," Hunter said.

"No," Silver admitted. "But if it makes you feel any better, the man who shot him is dead. I think I heard Gray say he let good old George taste his knife."

That didn't change anything. Hunter had already known that Joyce's killer had to be dead, unless it was either Silver or Puppy. That had been an unlikely possibility. Now he at least had a name for the killer, but he couldn't recall much of what George Merry had been like.

"I would have been happier if we could have brought him to hang in England, but it's not important. It wouldn't have brought Joyce back," he said.

Silver nodded. He sat down on the raft, leaving Hunter standing alone. All of a sudden, Hunter realised how exhausted he really was, both from the mad paddling and the fear and anger he had felt earlier. Now it was like there was nothing going on anymore, and he felt empty and tired of everything. Still, he refused to sit down.

"I meant it when I said Gray can take care of himself," Silver said after a moment of silence.

"Do you think he's still alive?" Hunter asked.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he were. He's tough," Silver said.

"I know, but I don't think even he can survive that. Even if the shark didn't kill him, he might have drowned," Hunter said.

"You should have a little more faith in him," Silver said. "But if he is dead, I'm sure this is the way he wanted to go. I can't imagine Gray dying of old age."

Hunter frowned at Silver's words. Was he supposed to be happy because Gray had got the kind of death he liked? He thought that people who considered the way you died to be of any importance were fools. It didn't change anything.

"Death is death," he said.

"I agree," Silver said. He closed his eyes and leaned back against the mast on the raft, crossing his hands behind his head.

Hunter didn't know how long he and Silver sat there in almost complete silence. He had nothing else to say to the pirate as he knew that Silver didn't really care if Gray came back or not. Right now he wanted to talk to someone who would understand how much the thought of losing a good friend frightened him. A few days ago he had been happy to know that there was no more danger, but now the preceding anxiousness was back.

It suddenly felt like it was only minutes since Joyce had died. The memory of holding his dead body in his arms and crying against his chest came crashing back, making it hard to breathe. Joyce had been the only person he had ever been able to talk to about everything, and right now Hunter missed him so hard it bordered on physical pain. He had to turn away from Silver and put his hands into his pockets so that Silver wouldn't see his face or how much his hands were shaking.

The sun was already starting to set, painting the sky a light shade of orange and pink, when the others came back. Hunter felt his heart sink when he saw how Jim's shoulders were slumped in defeat. He swallowed to remove the lump in his throat and tried to will his heart to beat slower.

"Didn't you find him?" he asked as soon as Captain Smollett, Jim and Ben Gunn reached them.

Smollett shook his head. "No, there was no sign of him," he said.

"But maybe the others had better luck," Jim said. He turned to Silver with eyes full of hope. "Isn't that right, Silver?"

"It's possible," Silver said.

But they were all in for a disappointment only a moment later when Dr. Livesey's group returned. They hadn't seen Gray either.

"What are we going to do now?" Squire Trelawney asked.

"There isn't much we can do," Dr. Livesey said, his voice filled with regret.

"You mean he's dead?" Jim asked. He was staring at the adults with a fearful expression on his young face, demanding them to tell him that everything would be alright. It broke Hunter's heart to see him like that. Jim had already seen too much death for a boy his age.

Trelawney put a hand on Jim's shoulder. "You see, Jim, it doesn't look too good now, but you should never give up hope," he said.

"He's right," Silver said, "I won't believe Gray is dead until I see the body."

"Thanks, Silver," Jim said, brightening immediately.

"In any case, we can't just stand here. Let's move the raft further up the shore so that the waves won't take it away. Then we'll get back to the blockhouse to think about the situation," Captain Smollett said.

Hunter joined the others in their work, trying his best not to think about what had happened. He couldn't let anyone see how much it upset him to think that Gray was dead, especially not Jim. He realised he was more angry than sad, and that moment he felt sick to his stomach when he thought about the treasure. Silver had been wrong when he had said this was the kind of death that Gray would have wanted. If he was dead, he had lost his life because of their greed and hunger for the treasure. Just like Joyce. There was nothing honourable about that.

"Gray is there!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing when they heard Jim's surprised voice. Hunter felt all his fears suddenly wash away when he spotted Gray's form in the distance.

When Gray got closer, everyone could see that he was holding the skull of a shark in his hands. He threw it at his feet and explained that he had found the solution to the riddle. He didn't look like he was hurt in any way, and he had a self-satisfied smirk on his face. If Hunter hadn't felt so relieved to see him alive, he would have been compelled to punch that smile away.

Gray told them how he had discovered the grave of the sharks. Everyone's joy of seeing him alive mixed with the excitement of knowing where to find The Devil's Top and eventually the treasure. They were all in good spirits as they gathered their supplies and set off to solve the last lines of Flint's riddle.

* * *

They had found the treasure. It felt like a dream after everything they had been through. They had finally been rewarded for all their struggles and fights, for all the pain and fears. Even when he had held gold coins in his hands, Gray had been tempted to think that it wasn't really happening. The treasure was so massive and glorious that it was from a different world.

They had all gone a little insane after finding it. Once the first shock had worn out, everyone had rushed to the cave to see what was inside and turned over every silver plate, vase and chest to discover more and more riches. Gray felt like an idiot when he thought back to it, but at least he hadn't been the only one. Even Captain Smollett had been taken in by the sight of Flint's treasure.

Things had thankfully quieted down somewhat. They had set up a camp near the treasure, not wanting to leave it alone now that it had been discovered. It would be moved to the ship the next day, and then they would start preparations for their departure. Returning to civilization felt almost as unbelievable as the treasure.

In some ways Gray was sad to leave the island. Things were so simple there; there was only the fight for survival. He always felt the most alive when he was in the middle of a battle and could push everything else away from his mind. He liked letting his knives do the talking for him, but there wouldn't be any toleration for that once he returned home.

He was sitting with his back against a tree, watching the flames of the campfire dance in the dark. Everyone had quieted down, but nobody was able to sleep. Even Dr. Livesey, who initially had ordered the others to get some rest, hadn't been able to follow his own advice. He was currently appraising some of the vases and jewellery among the treasure together with Squire Trelawney and Captain Smollett. Puppy was right by their side, almost drooling on the riches. The fact that he wouldn't be getting a share hadn't yet sullied his excitement.

"What are you thinking about?"

Gray turned to look at Hunter who was sitting a little closer to the fire. For some reason, he had got the feeling that Hunter had been the person least excited about the treasure. The thrilled grin on his face hadn't quite reached his eyes the way Gray had expected.

"Nothing important," he replied.

"Really?" Hunter asked with a teasing smile. "What about the treasure? You know that now we can get anything we've ever wanted, don't you?"

If it only were that simple. Even if he took every last coin of this treasure, it wouldn't be enough to get Gray what he wanted. As far as he was concerned, that couldn't be bought with gold, only with blood. However, that had nothing to do with the others, and he didn't want to ruin Hunter's good mood with his musings.

"And what do you want?" he asked.

"I'll tell you if you promise you won't laugh," Hunter said.

"Go ahead."

"Well, I've always wanted to become a farmer. Everyone in my family has always been a servant, but I would love to own a little of land and start a family. There's this Joan I've known since I was a boy…" Hunter said. He got a dreamy look in his eyes as he drifted off, no doubt picturing his perfect idyll in his mind.

"That's a good dream. Why would I laugh at it?" Gray asked.

Hunter shrugged. "It just doesn't feel like something you might like," he said.

"It's not, but that just gives you the right to laugh at _me._ You're the one with the right ambitions in life," Gray replied. He couldn't see himself ever settling down anywhere, least of all getting married and having children. He'd rather face a whole pirate crew armed with only his fists.

"Then what about you? What do you plan to do when we return home?" Hunter asked.

"I don't know yet," Gray said. He had partaken on this voyage because he had felt he needed some distance from his homeland to clear his head and decide what he wanted. As far as he was concerned, this adventure had only made everything more complicated. He had made friends with people he would have earlier considered his enemies.

"Well, I'm sure you'll think of something," Hunter said.

Gray started to voice his agreement, but his words turned into a yawn before he could stop himself.

"Are you tired?" Hunter asked.

"Fighting with the shark took its toll on me. My arms are killing me," Gray replied. It hadn't been the closest he had ever come to death, but it had been the most interesting of such experiences. He might get a few free rounds if he told his story in some pub at home.

The smile on Hunter's face dropped at these words. "I was really worried for you. For a moment I thought you were dead," he said.

"You shouldn't have. It was nothing," Gray said.

"How can you say that? Don't you have any idea how important you are to us? Jim was close to tears when we couldn't find you," Hunter said, anger creeping to his voice. He was glaring at Gray with eyes that demanded a better answer.

Gray sighed. "I'm sorry," he said, hoping that they could leave it at that.

"I know you don't do it on purpose, but why can't you be more careful? I don't want to see anyone else die after I lost Joyce," Hunter said.

"This is how I live my life," Gray said, growing somewhat frustrated despite his best efforts not to. His life had no room for anything stable; he was always moving on and leaving people behind. He always did what he felt had to be done, and Hunter's anger was almost insulting. It was like he was trying to chain him down to live the kind of life that he thought was appropriate.

"If I'm going to die doing something that I think is right, so be it. I won't let anyone control me, even my friends," he said. His voice was harsher than he meant, and he saw how his words made Hunter frown.

"Then I fear you may have to lead a lonely life," Hunter said.

"That's my problem," Gray said.

For a moment Hunter looked like he wanted to argue about that, but then the annoyed lines melted from his face. He slumped back against the tree behind him and sighed.

"I'm sorry," he said. "But surely you understand how I feel. You must have felt the same worry for Jim yesterday."

"Of course," Gray replied. He turned to glance to the other side of the camp where Jim and Silver were. After they had found the treasure, Silver had shown suspiciously little interest in it. He played along with Jim's enthusiasm, but he hadn't made a single claim and hadn't tried to take anything. He was probably waiting for a better moment.

There was one thing that Gray couldn't stop thinking about. When Jim had fallen into the sea, it was Silver's name he had called out. Out of all of his friends, it was the treacherous pirate whom Jim's instincts told him to trust the most. Gray couldn't help but feel bothered that he hadn't realised until now how strong Jim and Silver's friendship really was.

If Jim truly cared that much for Silver, maybe it was wrong of him to resent Silver that much for his actions. A friendship that strong was valuable, even if it ended in misery. It would hurt Jim to witness Silver's trial, but maybe it would hurt him even more if Silver abandoned him.

Jim's happy laughter cut through his thoughts like a knife. "I still can't believe we found the treasure, Silver!" he said.

"Neither can I," Silver said. There was a smile on his face, but he was staring at the fire with a thoughtful expression. The flames made shadows dance on his features, giving him an otherworldly appearance.

"I've been looking for it for such a long time," Silver continued.

"And now you found it," Jim said, oblivious to the melancholy tone of Silver's voice.

Gray watched the two of them for a while longer. He only moved his eyes away when Silver suddenly turned to look at him, eyes sharp with a questioning and challenging gleam. For once Gray didn't want to react to the provocation. He turned to stare up at the tatters of the starry sky that were visible through the trees, wondering where the sudden stab of guilt had come from.


	4. Goodbye to Treasure Island

Here is the final chapter. It's based on episode 25. Some of the dialogue is translated from the German dub of the anime.

**ALL THE MORE REASON**

**Chapter 4**

The island had disappeared from sight. Gray had stood on the deck with the others, watching how the island became smaller and smaller until they couldn't see it anymore with bare eyes. At that moment it had felt like a collective sense of relief had passed through all of them. The struggles and horrors of Treasure Island were now in the past, memories and stories that could no longer hurt them.

Only Jim and Hunter looked a little bothered by their departure. Jim was no doubt worried about what would happen to Silver. Back on the Hispaniola, he could no longer pretend that all of this was a fun adventure. Now he had to face the reality that they were taking Silver to be hanged in England. Hunter, on the other hand, was thinking about Joyce. When they had set sail, he had confessed that he didn't feel comfortable leaving his brother buried on the cursed island.

After the island could no longer be seen, Gray had gone below deck to stand watch outside the room where they had locked Silver up. There was a thick plank blocking the door, but he was sure that was no obstacle for him. Now that Silver was this close to facing justice, Gray wouldn't let him slip away.

He sat on the stairs and placed his musket between his knees. Ever since they had come on board, he had felt restless and uncomfortable. Part of it was that he wasn't yet used to being confined on a ship after weeks on the island, but he was sure it was mostly because of Silver. He couldn't quite describe the feeling he had. He knew that what they were doing was right and that Silver deserved to face a trial. He didn't pity the man, and he was as determined as ever to keep an eye on him and not let him escape.

And yet at the same time he couldn't help but feel dissatisfied with the situation. It wasn't just that he hated seeing the worried look on Jim's face every time Silver's name was mentioned. Just staring at the door of Silver's prison made the situation seem distorted. Silver was stronger and craftier than any man Gray had even known; he was like a beast who was meant to roam the world free of any worries or morals. While on the island, Gray had been steadfast on either killing or capturing Silver. Now that it was done, it didn't feel as satisfactory as he had expected.

A sudden noise from above him made him look up, and he saw that Hunter was about to descend below deck. Gray got up to give him space to come down the stairs. He hoped that Hunter was no longer bothered by Joyce and that he hadn't come to talk about it.

"Is there something going on?" he asked.

"Dr. Livesey suggested that we should give the treasure to the government and let them decide how much each of us is going to get. I've come to hear your vote on that," Hunter said.

"It doesn't matter to me. If that's what you want to do, go ahead," Gray said. It didn't come as a surprise to him. He had heard Livesey and Smollett discuss the issue the previous night. It stung a little to think that they might not get a good reward for everything they had gone through, but he was sure that it would be better for them to have the treasure off their hands. He knew better than anyone how tempting treasure was and what it could lead men to do.

"Good. It sounds like we all agree," Hunter said.

"Unlike in our last vote," Gray pointed out. Before departing, they had voted on what to do with Silver. Squire Trelawney had been of the opinion that it was insanity to bring such a dangerous man with them and that they should abandon him on the island. Ben Gunn had agreed, not because he had that much against Silver but because he wanted someone else to suffer the fate he had. The discussion had quickly turned into a fierce argument when Jim had declared that if they left Silver, he would stay behind with him.

"I've never seen Jim that serious," Hunter said.

"He might have done Silver a disservice with his loyalty," Gray said. If he had been left on the island, he would have lived. Maybe some other ship would have come by the island one day and rescued him.

"You took his side in the argument," Hunter pointed out.

"Only because leaving Silver on the island would have given him the chance to escape. I want to see him stand before the law," Gray replied.

"Me too. Everyone deserves a fair trial. It just wouldn't be right to take justice into our hands," Hunter said. He turned to look at the thick door that led to Silver's prison. "It's so odd to think of him as a prisoner, isn't it?" he asked.

Gray nodded. Although Silver had been a prisoner on the island as well, he had enjoyed relative freedom. Now he was caged like an animal.

"It can't be helped. All of this is his own fault," he said.

"I know," Hunter said as he stood up and prepared to go back on deck. "Are you going to sit here all day? Silver isn't going to break out."

"It doesn't hurt to be careful," Gray said.

Hunter chuckled and shook his head. "You sure know how to be stubborn. I'll bring you something to eat later," he said.

* * *

Later that evening, Gray was starting to think that maybe Hunter had a point. He hadn't heard anything from Silver's prison, and standing guard was getting monotonous. His muscles were stiff from sitting for too long, and the thought of climbing on deck to taste the sea air was getting more and more tempting each minute.

"Hey, Gray!"

He stood up when he heard Silver call out to him from behind the door. All his earlier suspicions immediately rushed back.

"Can I go walking on the deck? I want to see the sunset," Silver said.

It had to be a trick, Gray thought as he stood there, staring at the door. Silver sounded too friendly to his liking. He had to be planning something.

"Do that favour for me. When we get to England, I'll be hanged anyway. If I'm lucky, I'll get a life sentence. I'd like to say goodbye to the sun of the Caribbean Sea," Silver continued.

Gray didn't want to admit it, but those words struck a chord in more ways than one. He could understand Silver's melancholy and maybe even fear at the thought of dying like that. He wouldn't have been able to deny a request like this even if Silver had boldly demanded it – and he had asked, sounding so resigned to his fate that it was almost pitiful. That was what bothered Gray even more than the actual words. Silver's tone was flat and defeated, not at all becoming of him.

He walked to the door and removed the plank that was blocking it. "Alright, but no tricks," he said as he opened the door.

"What tricks could I possibly try?" Silver asked. He was standing in the middle of the dim room with Captain Flint on his shoulders. Some light was pouring in through the small window behind him, leaving his face masked in shadows. It made the smile on his face look unnaturally thin.

Gray chose not to answer that question. He beckoned for Silver to follow and went to climb on deck. He hoped nobody else would be there since it was given that Silver's appearance would cause trouble.

Sadly, the last person he wanted to be there was leaning against the side of the ship. Jim turned to look when he heard them climb on deck. He didn't make a move or say anything, only watched how Silver emerged from below.

Silver drew a deep breath. "I think air on the deck is so nice," he said. Only then did he turn his eyes to Jim. For a moment he only stared at the boy. Gray held his breath, wondering which one of them would talk first.

"Jim, have you already got your share?" Silver asked. Of all the things he could have said, Gray hadn't been expecting that one. In his mind, he had imagined that Silver would try to reach out to Jim and have his last happy moments with the boy. He felt nauseated that it was the treasure that was on his mind.

"What?" Jim asked, also surprised by Silver's question.

"You don't have to be so modest just because you're young. Just think, you've worked so hard in your life already," Silver said.

"We've decided to give the treasure to our government," Jim said.

"Really? Is that true?" Silver asked.

"Yes, but we've also decided that the government should decide how much each of us gets. Dr. Livesey suggested that. We want to make sure nobody is treated unfairly," Jim continued.

Gray watched how the smile on Silver's face transformed into a sour grimace. The look in his eyes was disbelieving and outraged at the same time. Gray could only imagine what it felt like to hear that the treasure Silver had tried to find for ten years was going to be handed away to people who hadn't done anything to deserve it.

"Well, I hope you really get your share. It would be quite amazing," Silver said. "But what do I care? That's none of my business." He threw his head back and laughed, but Jim didn't even crack a smile. Silver didn't seem genuinely amused, only bitter at what had happened to his treasure.

Silver walked to stand beside Jim. Gray decided to hold back and let Silver and Jim have their moment alone. He kept his musket ready in case Silver tried anything, but it was more out of habit than genuine belief that Silver would attempt to escape.

"Men have died," Silver mused, watching the sun set in the horizon. Light wind was ruffling his hair. For a few moments, he and Jim stood in silence, but then Silver continued, "I know a proverb. If the world was made of gold, people would have to die so that someone could get a handful of it." His tone was thoughtful, almost gentle.

Jim said nothing. Maybe he understood that Silver didn't really want an answer. It was like he needed to get something out of his chest before it was too late. Gray listened to every word with care, trying to decide how many of them were genuine.

"The island can't be seen anymore," Silver said. He lowered his head. "You know what, Jim? I would prefer to just give up."

Gray saw the heartbroken look on Jim's face and decided that Silver had said enough. He told him that it was time to return below deck. To his surprise, Silver didn't even grace him with an answer, only nodded and started walking towards the stairs. When he was descending, his foot slipped and he fell down, hitting his head. He didn't bother to get up from the floor.

Gray had never seen Silver look so pitiful before. He made no move when Silver grabbed the muzzle of his musket. The man's eyes were mocking him.

"Do you really think I would jump overboard and swim back to the island? I'd never get that idea. I'm not desperate," Silver said.

Gray twisted his musket from Silver's fingers and pointed it at the man's chest. "No, John Silver. I know you too well. I know you can survive all difficulties. I won't let you out of my sight," he said.

"In that case you seem to know a very different John Silver than me," Silver said. He got up from the floor and walked to his room. Gray was about to block the door after Captain Flint had flown in, but Silver's voice stopped him.

"Wait a moment, Gray. I hope that Dr. Livesey and Squire Trelawney are honest men. They promised to speak for me in court," he said. He kept a small pause, smiling at Gray in an almost friendly fashion. "I don't want to be hanged. Surely you understand that, Gray?"

Feeling sick to his stomach, Gray closed the door and blocked it before Silver could say anything else. When he turned around, he saw Jim standing on the stairs with tears in his eyes.

"Come, Jim," Gray said and gestured for the boy to climb back on deck. It would do neither of them any good to remain down there where there was so much hurt and tension that it was difficult to think straight.

Night had fallen fast and it was already dark when they made it back up. Jim ran to the side of the ship and stared down at the dark water, shivering slightly in the night. Then he sighed and turned away, falling to sit on the deck. Gray remained silent, partly because he didn't know what to say and partly because he was sure Jim would talk when he felt he was ready.

"Nobody wants to be hanged, but I don't understand what he's doing. It's not like Silver to give up," Jim said, his voice breaking as he could no longer stop the tears from falling.

"To be honest, I don't understand it either," Gray said. The man he had watched on the deck today was not the notorious pirate he had learnt to know. The craftiness and fighting spirit against impossible odds were both gone. As hard as he had fought to imprison Silver and bring him to justice, it now felt almost perverse how he had resigned to his fate and was waiting for death.

"I won't have this," he decided. He grabbed Jim's arm and pulled him up on his feet.

"Where are we going?" Jim asked.

"I want to find out if Silver really has given up," Gray said.

* * *

"Gray, are you alright? What happened?"

Gray woke up with a start, blinking and looking around in the dim light. Hunter was standing before him with a worried and confused expression on his face.

"What do you mean?" Gray asked.

"Your face. It looks awful," Hunter said.

Gray lifted a hand to his nose and winced at the pain that shot through it. Right, Silver had given him a good beating the previous night. It would probably be a good idea to stay out of sight for a while so that Captain Smollett wouldn't find out what he had done.

"I had a quarrel with Silver last night," he said.

"What?" Hunter asked, his eyes widening. "Did he try to escape?"

Gray chuckled. "No, nothing like that. There was just something I needed to show to Jim," he said.

"Alright, I won't ask. Do you need anything for that?" Hunter said.

"No, I'll be fine. I'll just lick my wounds here for a while longer," Gray said. He turned to look at the door to Silver's room, wondering how he was feeling. He hoped that Silver ached at least as much as him. His abdomen felt like he had been hit by a cannonball, and he dreaded the inevitable moment when he would have to pick himself up from the floor.

Hunter's laughter sounded so amused that it was almost aggravating, especially so early in the morning. "I'll tell the others you're busy keeping an eye on Silver. Squire Trelawney should be happy to hear that," he said.

"Thanks. I'd rather not let him know I've been fighting with our prisoner," Gray said.

He watched how Hunter climbed back on deck, wishing that he could go as well. Sunlight was pouring in, and he wanted to breathe the fresh sea air. He wondered how likely the others would be to believe that he had stumbled on the stairs and landed on his face.

I'll have to be more careful next time I fight Silver, he thought. It would take some days before he could forget about his right hook. Then he realised that he most likely wouldn't be fighting Silver ever again. Once they reached England, Silver would be handed to the officials. He probably wouldn't even see the pirate after that, unless he went to witness his execution.

Hunter returned some time later, carrying two trays with food. "I brought something for you and Silver," he said.

"Thanks," Gray said. He winced as he got up from the floor and walked to Silver's door. "Silver, are you awake?"

"Yes, what is it?" came the man's answer.

"I've brought you something to eat," he said as he opened the door and stepped in.

Silver was sitting on the floor, leaning against a wooden box with his crutch between his knees. There was no threat in his eyes as he turned to look at Gray, but around him was the stubborn aura that Gray had learnt to expect. Last night's fight had done good to Silver.

"Eat! Eat!" Captain Flint squawked and took flight from on top of a barrel.

Blinking in surprise, Gray took a piece of fruit from the tray and held it up for the parrot, curious to see if he would take the offer. Captain Flint snatched the piece with his claws and landed on Gray's shoulder, lifting the fruit up to his beak.

"Why, Flint, you traitor," Silver remarked. "Always following your stomach."

"Call your bird off, Silver," Gray said. He considered shooing him away, but the sharp claws digging into his shoulder made him change his mind. Flint probably had the strength to bite off his ear if he made the parrot angry.

"Relax. He won't do anything. He's just hungry," Silver said.

"I have more important things to do than feed your parrot," Gray said.

"Oh?" Silver said, lifting his brows in amusement. "Like sitting outside that door in case I'm going to escape?"

"After yesterday, I'm convinced you're going to try it," Gray said. He sounded triumphant even in his own ears. Silver's pathetic act had fooled him for a moment, but he had been right in thinking that a man like him never gave up. Now that Silver was back to normal, it again felt justified to suspect his every word and move.

"Maybe," Silver admitted. "But right now I'm more interested in having my breakfast. Come here, Flint, so that Gray can return to his important duties."

The weight of the parrot was lifted from his shoulder, and Flint flew back to Silver. For the first time, Gray wondered what would happen to Flint when Silver was hanged. He was an intelligent bird, so it would be a shame if he was killed, too.

"Are you hurt from yesterday? I could get you something if you need it," Gray said. Silver's face looked like it had to hurt more than his. His nose might even be broken, but Silver didn't look one bit bothered by it.

"Where does the sudden sympathy come from?" Silver asked.

"It only seemed fair," Gray said.

"That's odd coming from someone who's taking me to be hanged," Silver said. Then he chuckled. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot. That's just fair."

"If you're trying to make me pity you, that won't work. We already established that yesterday," Gray said.

"I don't need or want your pity, Gray. I'm just trying to point out that your cause may not be as justified as you think," Silver said.

"And what's that supposed to mean? Do you need me to list all of your crimes?" Gray asked, not quite believing Silver had the gall to try to give him a moral lecture.

"If you do that, I'll list all the times I've helped you. It's because of me that you found the treasure for your precious government," Silver said. He spat out the final words like they were poison on his tongue.

Then his smile turned vicious, and he regarded Gray with a new gleam in his eyes. "How does it feel to hand over such a fortune to the British Crown? Don't tell me you wouldn't rather take it to good old Éire with you," he said.

What? Did he really dare --?

Gray clutched the musket in his hands so hard that his fingers hurt. "It's not my decision to make. I'll follow Captain Smollett's orders, like I agreed when I joined this voyage," he said, careful to keep his voice steady. He imagined he could feel his blood having turned into ice in his veins; that had been such a low blow.

"Just like you did when you agreed to join me?" Silver asked.

It felt so tempting to kick that smirk off Silver's face and break his nose properly this time. Gray didn't trust himself enough to say anything, so he turned around and marched out of the room. He slammed the door shut with such force that everyone on the deck probably heard it. He staggered to the opposite wall and struck his fist against it, hoping that he had hurt Silver a thousand times more the previous night.

"You shouldn't let him get to you like that," Hunter said from his side.

Gray turned to look at him surprise; he hadn't even realised Hunter was still there. If he hadn't been so angry, he might have felt a little vulnerable at having his most important conviction rubbed to his face.

"That's easy for you to say," he snarled.

"Hey, don't get angry at _me,_" Hunter said. "Silver is trying to annoy you as much as he can. It's all he can do now."

"I know," Gray said. To be honest, this was preferable to the pitiful act Silver had tried to maintain the previous day. This was the real Silver, the one who never backed down and didn't hesitate to use the dirtiest tricks to get what he wanted.

"He just struck a sore spot," he continued. So sore, in fact, that he didn't even want to talk about it with Hunter.

"Never mind him. The less you let him get to you, the less amusement he has," Hunter said.

* * *

Some days later, Jim came below deck. He dropped by almost every day to exchange a word with Silver, even though Squire Trelawney did his best to discourage that. Gray agreed with the squire; the sooner Jim let go of Silver, the less his execution would hurt him. However, he didn't have the heart to tell Jim he couldn't visit his friend, so he grudgingly opened the door every time Jim asked for it.

"I brought coffee for Silver. Do you want some, too?" Jim asked.

"No, thanks," Gray said as let Jim in. He closed the door but didn't bolt it. As he sat down again by the stairs, he could hear muffled voices from inside the room. He always did his best not to eavesdrop, but too often he couldn't help but hear what Jim and Silver were talking about.

Most of the time they spoke of mundane things, like how soon they would reach the West Indies and what duties Jim had on the ship. Silver sometimes asked the boy about the treasure, but Jim never had concrete answers to give. He just wasn't interested in the treasure anymore now that it had been found and the excitement was over.

One thing neither of them ever mentioned was Silver's trial and likely execution. Silver usually did his best to keep Jim in good spirits. Gray was grateful for that. If Jim couldn't keep his distance from Silver, at least he should have good last memories of the man. At first he had been suspicious that Silver might try to trick Jim somehow into assisting in his escape, but it quickly became clear that Silver had no such plans. If he was plotting an escape, he was not about to drag Jim into it.

He was so deep in his thoughts that he realised Jim and Silver's conversation was over only when Jim opened the door and stepped out. The boy wore a solemn expression on his face, which was a striking contrast to his earlier cheerful smile.

"What's wrong? Did Silver say something to you?" Gray asked.

Jim shook his head. "No," he said.

"Then what's troubling you?"

Jim walked to the stairs. At first Gray thought he was going to leave without another word, but the boy sat down with a sigh.

"Dr. Livesey and Squire Trelawney promised they would speak for him in court. Do you think that's going to help?" Jim asked. The look in his eyes was pleading for Gray to say yes. At that moment, Gray would have liked nothing more than that.

"I don't know," he admitted. "Silver's crimes are very severe."

Jim lowered his eyes to the floor. "I know," he said quietly.

Gray didn't know if Trelawney or Livesey had talked about Silver's fate with Jim yet. It was a touchy subject for all of them. He was sure that even Trelawney, who expressed the most open dislike for Silver, wasn't quite comfortable with the idea of sending the man to his death.

"Jim, I don't know what's going to happen when we get to England, but I want you to know that it's going to be the right thing. I'm sure Squire Trelawney and Dr. Livesey are going to see to that Silver is treated with justice," he said.

"No! I know they're going to hang him. I just know it!" Jim blurted out. He clenched his fists and brought them up to his forehead so that he could lean his head on them. His shoulders were trembling with his sorrow, and a quiet sob escaped his lips.

"Jim," Gray said gently, but he had no idea what to say. What could he say that wasn't a blatant lie?

"It's not fair!" Jim said and stood up to climb the stairs on deck. He scrambled up, and Gray could hear his steps as he ran away.

He sighed in defeat. His eyes turned to the door of Silver's room. Silver must have heard Jim's outburst. As Gray moved to bolt the door again, he half expected to hear some half-joking comment from inside the room.

There was only silence.

* * *

Gray stood at the quarterdeck, letting the wind ruffle his hair, and drew a deep breath. He hoped the fresh sea air would ease his nausea, but whatever good effect it had was countered by the swaying of the ship. He wanted nothing more than to lie down somewhere, but he was afraid of going below deck in case he had to throw up.

He saw Hunter approach him, but he said nothing to acknowledge that.

"How are you doing?" Hunter asked in a careful voice.

"My ears are still ringing from the yelling I got from Captain Smollett, but I'll manage," Gray said.

"No, I mean Silver," Hunter said. If possible, he became even more hesitant, like he was about to push his hand into a wasps' nest.

Gray swallowed the sour taste in his mouth and stared out at the sea. To be honest, he wasn't quite sure how he felt about the events of the previous night. The topmost emotion he could name was shame for how he had let Silver trick him and how he had failed at the one thing he had sworn he would do. It was like he had betrayed everyone else. He hadn't been able to look anyone in the eyes when he and Jim had returned to the ship to report that Silver had escaped.

Squire Trelawney had been furious, especially after they had discovered that Silver had taken part of the treasure with him. Much worse had been the dressing-down from Captain Smollett. As if that hadn't been enough, Dr. Livesey had given him his uncensored opinion on what he thought about drinking and how reckless it was to let Jim partake in such activities.

He couldn't really think beyond that yet. His head hurt too much from all the rum, and he still couldn't quite believe what had happened. How could he have been so stupid that he had gone along with Silver, even when he had known what the pirate was up to?

"I don't know," he said, realising that Hunter was expecting an answer out of him.

His memories of the previous night were a little hazy, but there was one moment that was crystal clear in his mind. When he closed his eyes, he could see Silver holding up a bottle, that familiar smirk on his face.

"That's right. How did you figure it out so soon?" Silver had asked when Gray had remarked that he knew exactly what Silver was trying to do. There had been no malice or fear in Silver's eyes. If Gray hadn't known how stupid it was, he would have named the look as grudging respect. Silver had known Gray would fall for his trap, but this time he hadn't tried to rub it in his face.

"Don't feel guilty. Silver is a crafty man. He could have tricked anyone," Hunter said. That did nothing to soothe Gray's wounded pride. He was certain that the others wouldn't have let Silver provoke them into a stupid drinking contest.

However, there was something that made his shame, nausea and headache almost tolerable. Jim had woken him up in the middle of the night to inform him that Silver had escaped. The look on the boy's face had been pure panic at having lost his friend, but it had quickly turned into joy when he had realised one thing.

"Well, we don't have to watch him hang now," Gray remarked at Hunter.

"Are you happy about it?" Hunter asked, lifting his brows in surprise.

Gray ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't know yet. That would have been what he deserved, but I can't lie. Seeing a man like Silver die in such fashion would have been a shame," he said.

"I think so, too. He committed many crimes, but at the same time he did much to help us. I think he had his own twisted sense of honour," Hunter said.

Gray grunted in agreement. If he could have gone back to the previous night, he would have smacked some sense into his head to prevent all this from happening. It would have been the right thing to take Silver to England. However, he couldn't feel entirely unhappy about this turn of events. Not having to witness any more heartbreak from Jim almost made up for everything.

Then there was the fact that he had seen Silver's wife. Until that it had been easy to believe that only Jim would miss him. Looking at the beautiful woman who had come this far to find her husband had made him realise that Silver was far more than just a pirate. He was a friend, a husband, and maybe even a father.

"Do you think we're going to run into him again?" Hunter asked.

"I'm sure of it," Gray said. He pulled out one of his knives and started playing with it in his hands. He couldn't stop a small smile from appearing on his face.

"And next time I'm going to be better prepared for him."


End file.
